A Conceptual Paper on the Moderating Role of Coping Self-Efficacy in Preventive Behavior toward Work Stress

Abstract

Work-related stress remains a significant work-related health concern affecting employees’ psychological well-being and organizational productivity. Despite the growing attention to coping mechanisms, most prevailing studies have emphasized reactive responses to stress rather than proactive prevention. This conceptual paper suggests an integrative framework that combines the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to explain employees’ preventive behavior toward work stress. Grounded in these theories, the framework posits that perceived severity and perceived susceptibility key constructs of HBM serve as cognitive motivators of preventive actions. However, the conversion of these perceptions into actual behavior depends on coping self-efficacy, a central construct in SCT, which moderates the relationship between perceived threat and preventive behavior. This model highlights that individual who perceive work stress as serious and personally relevant, and who also believe in their ability to manage stressors, are more likely to engage in proactive coping strategies. The paper contributes theoretically by integrating motivational and efficacy-based perspectives to extend work stress prevention literature and methodologically by offering testable propositions for future empirical validation. Practically, it provides insights for organizations to design interventions that strengthen employees’ coping self-efficacy and promote prevention behavior as well as well-being cultures.